Ted Talks Uncle Teddys Fond Me

Ted Leitner: Controversial, outrageous and hilarious, Ted Leitner has been the enduring voice of San Diego’s sports scene since 1978. In TED TALKS, “Uncle Teddy” talks his way through his peripatetic career and often-chaotic family life, stories told with uproarious humor and heartfelt memories. Along the way, he pays lasting tribute to his dear departed friends – longtime broadcast partner Jerry Coleman, the Padres’ Tony Gwynn, and the Chargers’ Junior Seau.

TED TALKS includes “Voices,” a collection of first-person anecdotes from athletes, coaches, and media personalities who’ve known him, worked alongside him, and truly cherish what he’s meant to San Diego over his clamorous four-decade career that’s been like no other. By turns introspective, surprising and revealing, TED TALKS tells Uncle Teddy’s story – and there are plenty of stories to be told.

Ted Leitner spent 41 seasons as the play-by-play voice of the San Diego Padres and 25 years as the radio voice of football and basketball for the San Diego State University Aztecs, which continues into 2021–2022. Following the pandemic-shortened baseball season of 2020, Leitner retired from the broadcast booth and was appointed Ambassador of the San Diego Padres by team owner and chairman Peter Seidler. During his on-air career, Leitner also spent 25 years (1978-2002) as sports anchor and commentator on CBS 8, and as a talk-show host and sports humorist on KFMB-AM Radio.

In addition to the Padres and Aztecs, his play-by-play credits include the NFL's San Diego Chargers and Philadelphia Eagles, the NBA's San Diego Clippers, as well as the University of Oklahoma and the University of Connecticut. Prior to coming to San Diego in 1978, Leitner was a TV sports personality in Oklahoma City, Hartford, and Philadelphia.